Lana Del Rey: ‘It’s hard for me to go on when I know we’re going to die’

Singer discusses death phobia, anxiety and having children in new interview

Lana Del Rey has opened up about her struggles with anxiety and revealed a phobia of death.

The singer, who released latest album ‘Honeymoon’ in September, spoke to Billboard in a new interview, revealing that her panic attacks have become progressively worse over the past few years.

“It’s hard for me sometimes to think about going on when I know we’re going to die. Something happened in the last three years, with my panic [attacks]… It got worse.”

She added: “I’ve always been prone to it. I remember being four years old and I’d just seen a show on TV where the person was killed. And I turned to my parents and said, ‘Are we all going to die?’ They said ‘Yes,’ and I was totally distraught! I broke down in tears and said, ‘We have to move!'”

“I saw a therapist – three times. But I’m really most comfortable sitting in that chair in the studio, writing or singing.”

Asked whether having children would “chill her out”, Del Rey replied: “I don’t think so, but… sometimes you just want to be able to enjoy the view. I think I’m really like my mother, in the sense that I make small lists. To calm myself down. I reward myself.”

“You know, ‘If I finish this, then I’ll do that’ – I’ll go for a walk on the beach or swim in the ocean. I go for swims and am actually shocked I do that. Because one thing I’m terrified of is sharks.”

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Speaking to NME recently, Foals joked that they were like “sweaty teenagers” when meeting Del Rey.

Frontman Yannis Philippakis said: “She [Del Rey] was in Paris, just being Lana Del Rey and ended up coming to dinner via a mutual friend. I got really excited. I’m in awe of her. It’s funny to see someone like that. She’s really nice. I didn’t say anything. I was like a sweaty teenager, wanting to hide under the table.”

Asked what the band spoke to her about, Philippakis said the subject of Foals’ own music came up: “She said some nice things. She said she liked ‘Give It All’, and was just generally a sweetheart. The world is better for Lana Del Rey being here.”

When asked if Foals would collaborate with Lana Del Rey, synth player Edwin Congreave joked that he is not sure she’d be interested. “A collaboration would be great. But to be honest, if the choice was between hanging out on my yacht being Lana and working with some tense guys from Oxford, I’d probably stay on my yacht.”